Implications of New Testament teaching (Part 2)

Our series ends with a final look at the future of the charismatic movement.

This article is part of a series. Please see the base of the page for more details.

Looking Ahead

If the charismatic movement is to fulfil the purposes of God there has to be, first of all, a recognition that things have gone radically wrong and of the reasons why this has happened. There has to be not merely a superficial repentance but a radical turning away from the world and returning to God.

The Bible has to be restored to its central place in the Church with serious study of the word of God given great importance - not only among leaders and preachers of the word, but in the lives of all believers. If this does not take place, there will be serious consequences for the whole Church in the Western nations. The likely consequences may be summarised under four headings.

Disintegration

The charismatic movement is likely to disintegrate and fragment into numerous small groups with different beliefs and emphases. As the movement becomes largely discredited, many people will leave charismatic churches and revert to traditional evangelicalism or other traditions or even leave the Church altogether.

Experientialism

If the present obsession with experience continues, the charismatic movement will produce a new wave of excitement every few years just has it did through the 1980s and 1990s. With the abandonment of the Bible as the sole criterion of truth, each new wave takes the charismatic movement farther away from New Testament Christianity.

The danger becomes increased of a drift into the New Age Movement or to becoming cults. Both of these aberrations are basically experiential.

Timing

The fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the 20^th Century that has resulted first in the Pentecostal movement and secondly in the charismatic movement has been part of the deliberate plan and purpose of God for these times; empowering his Church for the demands of the coming days. God has not left us without an understanding of his plans.

If the charismatic movement is to fulfil the purposes of God there has to be a radical turning away from the world and returning to him.

For a number of years, he has been speaking to us about shaking the nations but we have not listened with understanding, neither have we been content to allow him to work out his purposes and to await his timing. Instead of waiting for God to do the work of revival in the nation, we have rushed ahead. Like the Children of Israel in the wilderness when Moses was up the mountain, we have made our own golden calf which we have worshipped in the charismatic churches.

By the beginning of 1995 the shaking of the nations had reached the point where the conditions for revival were falling into place. This was certainly true in Britain where a combination of deep social malaise, economic problems and political uncertainty combined to shake the confidence of the nation. Even the monarchy, heart of the British establishment, appeared deeply wounded by its 'annus horribilis'.

The charismatic movement had been raised by God for just such a time as this. Instead of witnessing to the nation, however, the charismatic churches turned in upon themselves, enjoying their golden calf, but thereby rendering themselves incapable of bringing the word of God to the nation with power and authority.

These social conditions in the nation which are favourable to the Gospel are unlikely to last long and the window of opportunity will close. Days of darkness are likely to follow with the enemies of the Gospel multiplying and the Church growing weaker. The visitation of God will have been missed, as it was in New Testament times. It was this that caused Jesus to weep over the city of Jerusalem saying,

If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace but now it is hidden from your eyes...your enemies will build an embankment against you...They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognise the time of God's coming to you. (Luke 19:41-44)

A Stumbling Block

Missing the timing of God does not necessarily mean that his purposes will be blocked. The sovereignty of God ensures that he will carry out his purposes even if his people are unfaithful. He will work out his plans another way. In the time of Jeremiah, he had to abandon Judah, allowing Jerusalem and the Temple to be destroyed because of the wickedness and unresponsiveness of his people despite all the warnings that he sent to them.

The purposes of God, however, cannot be thwarted. The sovereignty of God ensures that he can fulfil his plans by other means. As John the Baptist declared, “I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham” (Luke 3:8).

The social conditions in the nation which are favourable to the Gospel are unlikely to last long and the window of opportunity will close.

If there is no repentance among charismatics and no radical renewing of the Western Church, God is able to fulfil his purposes by other means. It may be that he will bypass the Church and bring salvation to the nation some other way. Indeed, it may well happen that God will allow the Western Church to disintegrate. As the Church in the West dies so he will raise up the Church in the East and in the poorer nations to be his servants and to bring the message of salvation to the world. This would be completely in line with the ways of God in Scripture and a fulfilment of the vision Mary saw after her visit to Elizabeth when she looked forward to the birth of the Saviour singing,

My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant...He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. (Luke 1:46-53)

Conclusion

It would not be right to end on a negative note, although I would not wish to lessen the impact of the solemn warnings given in these last articles. But our God is merciful and loving, very ready to forgive and to restore those who turn to him in penitence.

It is the earnest hope of the writers of Blessing the Church? that our brothers and sisters in Christ, especially those with leadership responsibilities within the churches, will respond to the things we have written by examining their teaching and practices in the light of Scripture. We appeal to the whole Church, and especially those in the charismatic sector, to make a fresh commitment to the study of the word of God.

We believe there is a pressing need for the study of biblical eschatology to counter the many false teachings which abound today. It is essential that Christians should know what the Bible says about the Second Coming of Christ and the conditions leading up to the Parousia.

We therefore appeal to all preachers to undertake systematic expository preaching of the word of God. We believe that expounding the scriptures will undoubtedly lay a good foundation for spiritual revival in the nation, but it will also guard the Church against error in days where there is a great onslaught on the truth. If believers are well-grounded in the word, they will not be deceived by false teachers and prophets however attractively their message is packaged and presented.

We appeal also to all believers to turn again to the Bible and study the word. When we do so we find our love for God grows and so too does our commitment to the Lord Jesus and to the work of the Kingdom.

To those who, having read this series, are concerned about their own spiritual life if they have been exposed to non-biblical teaching and practices, we would counsel against anxiety. Our God is a loving Father who sees the heart rather than the outward appearance (1 Sam 16:7). He knows the secrets of our hearts and he guards those who sincerely love him and who truly seek him. His solemn promise is "‘You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you’, declares the Lord” (Jer 29:13-14).

We appeal to all believers to turn again to the Bible and study the word.

Those who have been saved by the precious blood of the Lord Jesus are part of his flock whom he, as the Good Shepherd, guards and constantly watches over for good. Even when we foolishly or inadvertently go astray he is not quick to condemn, but rather he is quick to reach out to redeem, and lovingly to restore to a right relationship with himself and with the Father.

Making mistakes, repenting and returning to experiencing the loving forgiveness of our Father are all part of growing in maturity for the believer. There is no-one who never makes mistakes. We all go astray from time to time, but our God remains faithful, even when we are unfaithful. He has called us his children, sons of the living God, and the Father has fulfilled his promise to send 'the Counsellor' to be with us forever - 'the Spirit of truth' (John 14:16-17). Jesus promised that “the Counsellor, the Holy Spirit...will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you…Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:26-27).

Jesus' own testimony was that he only did those things which he heard from the Father (John 5:19). He said, “By myself I can do nothing” (John 5:30). It is this attitude of total dependence upon the Father that the whole Church urgently needs to learn, so that we neither lag behind nor run ahead of his purposes. If we turn to the left or to the right we hear his voice saying “This is the way, walk in it” (Isa 30:21).

When we study the word of God we learn his ways. He sometimes has to bring a loving rebuke to us, “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go. If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river” (Isa 48:17-18).

Yet he also promises full restoration to those who humbly return to him. "’Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed’, says the Lord who has compassion on you” (Isa 54:10).

Series Information

This article is part of a series, re-publishing the 1995 book ‘Blessing the Church?’, an analysis of the ‘Toronto Blessing’ and a wider critique of the charismatic movement in the late 20^th Century. Click here for previous instalments and to read the editorial background to the series.

We embark upon the final chapter: 'Here Today, Where Tomorrow?'

This article is part of a series – please see the base of the page for more information.

Here Today, Where Tomorrow?

The 20^th Century will surely go down in history as the century of the Holy Spirit, both due to the amazing worldwide expansion of the Pentecostal movement from the beginning of the century and the charismatic renewal which has swept across the world in the second half of the century. But will it be seen as the pure work of God, representing a turning point in world history? Or will it be seen as a missed opportunity, a work of God spoiled by human hands?

It was often a cry of the prophets of Israel that the nation had moved outside the blessing. The people had deviated from the path set before them by God. They had neglected his word, spurned his law and disobeyed his commands. Therefore, the nation was experiencing judgment rather than blessing. They had brought upon themselves the antithesis of blessing clearly foreseen by Moses in the warnings given, “If you do not obey the LORD your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come upon you and overtake you: You will be cursed in the city and cursed in the country…” (Deut 28:15-16).

The biblical record of God's relationship with Israel shows that it was always God's delight to bless his people. This is his intention today just as it was when he called Israel to be his people through whom he could reveal himself to the world and establish them as his servant: “I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth” (Isa 49:6).

The 'Great Commission' given by Jesus to his disciples to preach the Gospel to all nations reaffirmed God's intention (Matt 28:19). His promise to send the Holy Spirit was to enable the Church to carry out his command: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

The 20^th Century will surely go down in history as the century of the Holy Spirit…but will it be seen as a pure work of God?

Outpouring of the Holy Spirit

The fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the Church at the beginning of the 20^th Century, which resulted in the worldwide Pentecostal movement, is a significant milestone enabling us to understand how God is working out his purposes in our times. As the Church has progressed, two things have happened of immense significance.

• The first is that the worldwide Church has grown at a phenomenal rate. The majority of this growth has been in the poorer non-industrial nations. David Barrett in the Encyclopaedia of World Religions records that in 1900 only 17% of Christians were in the non-western nations. By 1988 this had risen to 53% and he estimated that by the year 2000 this would rise to 61% with only 32% in the rich western nations.¹
  
• The second significant fact is that the Holy Spirit has been renewing and revitalising the life of the traditional churches in the western world. This did not begin to happen until the second half of the twentieth century.²
  

It surely cannot be a mere coincidence that throughout this century a combination of disturbing and destructive social, economic and political forces moved with increasing velocity across the world. It was a century of revolution, of war, terrorism and violence, as well as a century of incredible social and technological change which responsible for almost unbelievable upheavals in every continent and in almost every nation: China, Russia, the Indian sub-continent, the Middle East, every part of Africa, eastern Europe. The political upheavals which have shaken these nations have been matched by the revolutionary social forces that have swept away the foundations of social stability in most of the western nations.³

There are strong links between these events and the kind of eschatological scenario described in Scripture. Jesus gave a number of specific signs which would mark the nearness of his own Second Coming. They are to be found in Matthew 24 and Luke 21. There are additionally many passages both in the New Testament and in the Old Testament prophets that set the scene for the prelude of the 'Day of the Lord' when he will come to judge the nations.

It is not our purpose to elaborate that theme here, but it is relevant to note that world events towards the end of the second millennium began to become increasingly like the biblical eschatological scenario. Paul tells us in Ephesians 3:10 that it is God's intention to use the Church to reveal himself to the whole universe. It is his purpose to prepare a holy people, a people who love him and trust him and who are empowered by the Holy Spirit to declare his word to the nations.

The Holy Spirit is given to the Church to enable the Church to be the Prophet to the world, prepare the way of the Lord and preach the Gospel of salvation with power and authority.

The Holy Spirit is given to the Church for just this purpose, to enable the Church to be the Prophet to the world, to prepare the way of the Lord and to preach the Gospel of salvation with power and authority, with signs and wonders following. But God can only use a purified people. When his people depart from his ways and run after the values of the world, he withdraws his blessing and eventually removes his presence, leaving them unprotected from the onslaught of the enemy.

There are many indications that this is what we have been seeing in the western nations and also in western churches. We urgently need to learn the lessons recorded in the Old Testament.

Blessing and Judgment

The history of Israel follows a constant cycle of blessing and judgment corresponding to the spiritual health of the nation, as measured by the plumb-line of the people's faithfulness to the word of God. Whenever God blessed the nation and a time of peace and prosperity was being enjoyed, it was not long before the people became unfaithful and turned away from God. Then things began to go wrong because the Lord gradually withdrew his blessing and the cover of his protection. Hosea has a telling passage which describes this process. He records what is essentially a lament of the Lord:

I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt; you shall acknowledge no God but me, no Saviour except me. I cared for you in the desert, in the land of burning heat. When I fed them they were satisfied; when they were satisfied, they became proud; then they forgot me. (Hosea 13:4-5)

Hosea was writing shortly before the fall of Samaria and the destruction of the northern kingdom of Israel and their exile in Assyria. He rightly interpreted the warning signs as things began to go wrong. He knew that the final tragedy would follow the withdrawal of the protecting hand of God when he finally turned his back upon his people leaving them exposed to their enemies. Ezekiel saw this in a vision of the Spirit of God leaving the temple in Jerusalem. He saw the word ichabod - 'Glory departed' - over the city.

Thus blessing and judgment were always part of Israel's experience and are written across every page of her history. They illustrate important spiritual principles which are valid for all time for those who would be the people of God and who desire to experience his blessing.

When we turn away from the word of God, embracing false teaching and false prophecy, the consequences for the whole nation are serious and may even be disastrous, as in the history of Israel. False teaching and prophecy pollute the spiritual life of the Church, distort our discernment and fail to give moral and spiritual correction to the nation. The political, economic and social life of the nation becomes corrupted and standards fall. The ways of God revealed in the Bible also teach us that God holds his servants, particularly the religious leaders, responsible for the state of the nation.

The British Situation

In Britain through the 1990s, we suffered from the consequences of false prophecy given very publicly by the Kansas City Prophets in 1990. Reference has already been made to this in previous instalments in this series, but it is of sufficient importance to warrant further consideration since this marked a major turning point in the history and direction of the charismatic movement in Britain.

Bob Jones, Paul Cain and John Paul Jackson all proclaimed that a mighty revival would be experienced in Britain in 1990, saying that it would spread across England into Scotland and then across the North Sea and throughout Europe. Paul Cain was even more explicit, stating that the revival would begin in London in October 1990 when John Wimber was due to lead a mission at the Docklands Conference Centre, East London.⁴

False teaching and prophecy pollute the spiritual life of the Church, distort our discernment and fail to give moral and spiritual correction to the nation.

Just as Hananiah's false prophecy (Jer 28) came as a welcome relief from the stern message which Jeremiah had been preaching for a number of years, so this promise of revival came as sweet, enchanting music to the ears of many faithful believers who were longing for revival and had been interceding earnestly for many years. But they were misled. It was a false prophecy. I said so publicly six months before the October conference.5 I had personal contact with all three men, including face-to-face discussions. But the bandwagon was already rolling with, what was by British standards, extraordinary hype.

Tens of thousands flocked to hear these men with a popular message as they travelled across the country touring the provinces before their big London event. By the time of the Docklands Conference expectations were running high and before the end of the week they reached fever pitch, with John Wimber commanding the Holy Spirit to come down. But God did not come upon his people in power like a mighty rushing wind as at Pentecost. The Holy Spirit does not obey the commands of men!

There were many signs that Britain was not yet ready for revival. For a number of years, it had been apparent that God was shaking the nations in order to shake the confidence of mankind in material things and cause the nations to turn to him, the living God, to heed his word and to walk in the paths of righteousness. Then in due time the blessing of God would be poured out upon nations that turned to him. The Scripture underlying this hope was:

In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. I win shake all nations, and the desired of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory’, says the LORD Almighty. (Haggai 2:6-7)

1990 was too soon for a great revival. The boom years of the 1980s had to be followed by the bust years of the 1990s. The pride and complacency engendered by the success of the greedy acquisitive policies of the 1980s had to be broken. The corruption that accompanied the greed in the commercial and financial institutions had to be exposed. It can now be plainly seen that the seed sown in the 1980s reaped a bitter harvest in the 1990s. But this was all part of God's intention to allow evil to reap its own reward and to bring about a humbling of powerful leaders in the political and business life of the nation.

The exposure of greed and corruption in the 1990s – and since - brought about dramatic revelations much capitalised on by the media, always hungry for sensation. The revelations have included abhorrent sexual activities by politicians and celebrities, failures of banking institutions, financial scandals, huge wage inequalities and impunity enjoyed by many in the corporate and finance sectors.

This has all been part of the shaking of the nation to prepare the way for the Gospel, in just the same way as a farmer prepares the ground to receive the seed so that it may take root and bear fruit, giving an abundant harvest.

Prophecy plays an important part in the preparation for the word of God by giving the spiritual interpretation of physical events. There are numerous examples of this in Scripture, such as Jeremiah's explanation for the withholding of the spring rains (Jer 3:3), and the powerful explanation given by Amos of drought, blight, plagues and other disasters (Amos 4:6-12).

Prophecy plays an important part in the preparation for the word of God by giving the spiritual interpretation of physical events.

It has always been God's intention that his Church should be the Prophet to the nation, declaring his unchangeable word in a changing world and making it applicable to each generation so that the will and purposes of God can be readily understood.

It is the responsibility of those who exercise a prophetic ministry to be the eyes and ears of the Church, to interpret events in accordance with principles laid down in Scripture so that the whole Church can carry out its prophetic function in the nation, turning the people back to God when they have gone astray and leading the nation into the paths of righteousness where the blessing of God will be experienced.

It was for this reason that the Holy Spirit was poured out afresh in the 20^th Century and that New Testament ministries were restored.

Next week: Dr Hill's summation about the Kansas City Prophets.

References

1 Quoted in Rich Christians, Poor Christians by Monica Hill (London, Marshall Pickering 1989), p2. For 2018 figures, click here.

2 Ibid, p60f.

3 See Shaking the Nations by Clifford Hill (Eastbourne, Kingsway, 1995).

4 Reported by Rick Williams at a clergy conference in St Andrew's Chorleywood, 7 March 1990, transcription of tape.

5 Prophecy Today, Vol 6 No 4, July/August 1990.

Series Information

This article is part of a series, re-publishing the 1995 book ‘Blessing the Church?’, an analysis of the ‘Toronto Blessing’ and a wider critique of the charismatic movement in the late 20^th Century. Click here for previous instalments and to read the editorial background to the series.

Enjoying God’s good gift of music.

God has given us richly all things to enjoy (1 Tim 6:17) – and that includes music. Over the past few weeks we have seen how music is an innately spiritual phenomenon with power to affect people deeply which can be turned for good or ill. We have seen how music features in Scripture and how, throughout history, it has both expressed and shaped the spiritual state of societies.

We finish this short series, which is not intended to be comprehensive, but more a starting point, by looking at how we can apply good principles of discernment to our music-making and musical consumption.

What Makes ‘Good’ Music?!

The question of ‘what makes good music?’ is, of course, incredibly (some might say completely) subjective. However, through history and around our diverse world, certain qualities are repeatedly valued. Broadly speaking, music judged to be of good quality is:

• Evocative: speaking to and expressing the emotions
  
• Creative: a vehicle for imagination, inspiration and originality
  
• Intelligent: thoughtful and perceptive in both composition and performance
  
• Skilful: displaying talent and proficiency – again, in both composition and performance.
  

Dwelling on these prized attributes this week, I realised how closely they align with the command that we are to worship God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength (Luke 10:27). It seems that the Lord designed music with in-built capacities to enable us to worship with our whole beings. At the same time, He also designed it to be accessible and enjoyable for everyone, regardless of ability. It really is the perfect vehicle for worship. What a wonderful God we serve!

However, as intimated above, music can be put to the service of the flesh, the world and the enemy, instead of the service of God. Musical evocativeness, creativity, intelligence and skill – though intended for godly worship - can instead be used to entice and corrupt. Even within the Church, it can be used to draw attention to man more than God, or to sow seeds of false doctrine instead of proclaiming truth.

The Lord designed music with in-built capacities to enable us to worship with our whole beings.

The rest of this article will focus on the principles that characterise truly biblical music (particularly that used in church, though CCM – discussed last week – overlaps and can be judged on the same merits), though I will remark at the end on how we might be discerning in our everyday consumption of music – i.e. for leisure, background music, etc. This is not something to be over-thought or approached legalistically, but rather something to be surrendered to the Lord as part of our daily existence as ‘living sacrifices’, wholly set upon his altar.

As we yield our music-making and musical enjoyment to him afresh, I pray that he will breathe new life into it through the Holy Spirit, and that we will discover more of what it means to do everything for his glory.

Testing Needed

Music written and brought into being as part of worship is not something to be taken lightly, for it is a primary vehicle through which we offer our sacrifice of praise to the Lord (Heb 13:15). It also affects us, and others, very deeply, touching and feeding the soul.

For these reasons, I believe that music and lyrics used in worship ought to be tested, even as teaching should be, and a culture of healthy musical discernment should be encouraged in churches and home fellowships – led with wisdom and involving the input of mature, trustworthy Christians.

So, how do we set about this? How can we bring to bear biblical discernment on the music we use in worship? How can we encourage the worship leaders and musicians of our acquaintance - especially the younger ones - to think biblically when it comes to their musical production and consumption?

Hallmarks of Biblical Music

“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.” (Colossians 3:16)

“…be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 5:18-20)

I believe that truly godly music will bear some specific hallmarks in increasing measure and developing maturity, which we can use as part of any testing process. I offer five below.¹

Truly godly music will bear some specific hallmarks in increasing measure and developing maturity.

Biblical music…

…glorifies God: It may seem obvious, but you’d be surprised at the amount of Christian music in existence which draws attention to us more than to the Lord. Good worship music points people to God, lifting the soul’s eyes up to Heaven and putting life’s trials in the context of his unchanging character and overarching purpose.

In that respect, worship music is always humble, whether it manifests as quiet reverence or joyful noise; ultimately all the sounds we make as part of worship should be about him and for him, not about and for us. We can be blessed, healed and delivered through the Lord ministering to us in times of worship, but these are wonderful by-products which should never eclipse worship’s main goal.

…edifies believers: Godly music feeds the new man, not the old sinful self, speaking truth into the human spirit and encouraging the growth of the fruit of the Holy Spirit in our lives. In other words, if music always takes us somewhere, godly music encourages us in the direction of Heaven, not Hell (Eph 4:1), stirring up the spirit, not the flesh!

As such, in congregational contexts, it builds up the Body of Christ around the truths of Scripture, binding believers together in the same faith and the same hope.

…proclaims scriptural truth: Whether directly quoted or not, godly music is rich in the truths and principles of Scripture: not selectively, nor manipulatively, but comprehensively, clearly and in good faith. Feeding on biblical music can be a fantastic way to memorise Scripture. The word is sharper than a double-edged sword (Heb 4:12), and truly biblical music will allow its refining power to cut us to the quick, even as we sing. And in forthtelling the word of God, in the power of the Holy Spirit, godly music will naturally have a prophetic edge.

In these ways, lyrical substance is more important than musical style, though style is obviously not morally or spiritually neutral, being an outflow of the writer’s heart (as we unpacked in the second part of this series). Instrumental music inspired by biblical truth will bear witness to godly principles, such as [creative] order and moral decency (1 Cor 14:40).

Biblical music builds up the Body of Christ around the truths of Scripture, binding believers together in the same faith and the same hope.

…is offered in the right spirit: one of humble surrender, true faith and glad obedience, on the part of both writers and worshippers. The creation of godly music demands hearts that are in the right place before God - not seeking to bend music’s power to selfish ends, or to force God’s hand or work up a particular atmosphere. It is the new age that uses music in a spirit of control – not biblical Christianity, which offers it up freely as part of a sacrifice of praise, allowing God to work through it as he wills.²

This does not require fleshly perfection, but rather new life birthed through true faith, cleansed by the blood of Christ and filled with the Holy Spirit. As such, biblical music flows from, and is inspired through, communion with God.³

…has good roots: I would recommend reading about some of the great hymn writers, such as the Wesleys, Fanny Crosby, John Newton and Isaac Watts, to see what faithful and surrendered lives they led. I’m not saying that one must be perfect to write good Christian music, but it is certainly important that both song-writers and worship leaders practise what they preach and remain sound in their theology.

As intimated last week, there are many modern Christian worship leaders who are personally dabbling in wrong teaching. This will undoubtedly show up, sooner or later, in what they write and sing. Good roots bear good fruits.

In Spirit and Truth

So, biblical music glorifies God, edifies believers, proclaims scriptural truth, is offered in the right spirit and has good roots. Its emotive, creative, intellectual and skilful elements are thus put to work for good spiritual ends, through the power of the Holy Spirit. These principles can perhaps be summed up using Jesus’ definition of true worship: godly music is good in spirit and in truth.

Let me re-iterate here how important it is that we learn to be discerning about musical worship. According to John Calvin, “there is hardly anything in the world with more power to turn the morals of men” than music.⁴ Even agnostic composer Ralph Vaughan Williams wrote: “Good music for worship is a moral issue. The eternal gospel cannot be commended with disposable, fashionable music styles, otherwise there is the implication that the gospel itself is somehow disposable and temporary.”⁵

Arguing over styles has sadly often been the raison d’etre of the Church, but when it comes to biblical principle, rather than taste, there is reason to get passionate – for the music we imbibe will both shape and witness to our walk with the Lord.

Godly music is offered up in a spirit of humble surrender, true faith and glad obedience, on the part of both writers and worshippers.

Music ‘In the World’

How does all of this apply, then, to music that we engage with in contexts other than direct worship – e.g. for enjoyment, community or personal improvement? It is immediately clear that we cannot easily apply the same criteria used to weigh worship music to music emanating from the secular realm. Nevertheless, all of our musical activity should still bear witness to our call to serve and honour God with our whole beings, for “whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Cor 10:31).

There is, of course, a time and a place for all kinds of musical activity, “For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer” (1 Tim 4:4-5; also Ecc 3:1-8). I am sure that God loves music even more than we do – and desires us to enjoy it, build relationships through it, and bear witness through it to his beauty and creativity, just as naturally as birds sing their unique songs. But, permit me to make two further comments on how we can be godly in this.

First, music must always retain in its proper place – in submission to our worship of God - and used for good purpose, not squandered.⁶ We are not to be hedonists - lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God (2 Tim 3:1-4) - nor are we to love the things of the world (James 4:4). We must take care that enjoying God’s good gift does not descend into idolatry of any kind. This applies especially to musicians and worship leaders.

Secondly, we ought to take care that we feed ourselves – and others - on good things, even for entertainment and relaxation. These things require discernment, and the Holy Spirit’s leading, for not everything is beneficial or constructive for us (1 Cor 10:23).

Let us take inspiration then, from Philippians 4:8 to round off this series: “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about [listen to/sing/play?] such things.”

Recommended Material

The Family that Worships Together, Episode 5: Music in Worship. National Center for Family-Integrated Churches.

Testing music in the church’, by Sandy Simpson. Deceptioninthechurch.com, October 2000.

‘Entertainment as Worship - Worship as Entertainment’ by Douglas Bond, 22 February 2018.

‘The Christian and Entertainment’, by Rev D Kuiper. Truthaccordingtoscripture.com.

References

1 Thanks particularly to the comments made by pastors in this video.

2 “Musical conditioning is not the same as the Holy Spirit challenging the mind to think, the spirit to be still, and the heart to be humbled in the presence of God.” John Blanchard – quoted here.

3 Many top musicians admit that their best compositions weren’t ‘made’, but somehow ‘found’ – as if they were already there, waiting to be discovered. This perhaps shows music’s spiritual dimension – and so the importance of making and enjoying it in communion with God, looking to him for inspiration rather than inside ourselves…or anywhere else.

4 Preface to the Genevan Psalter of 1545. Quoted here.

5 Preface to The English Hymnal. Ibid.

6 ‘The Christian and Entertainment’, by Rev D Kuiper. Truthaccordingtoscripture.com

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Peter Fenwick concludes his assessment of the Toronto Blessing in the light of Scripture.

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The Receiving Methodology

The claim has been made widely that via Toronto ‘receiving meetings’ people have gone on to experience great advance in the realm of sanctification. It has been claimed that people have moved into areas of very significant holiness where besetting sins previously dominated.

As has been shown earlier in this chapter, the style of receiving methodology is not new in the charismatic movement. It has prevailed for years and therefore comes as no surprise to thousands of Christians. What I am going on to say may well produce a reaction of 'So what? Who cares? The whole thing works so does anything else matter?'

First of all, yet again, the New Testament, indeed the whole Bible, never gives an example of meetings being convened for the laying on of hands, resulting in Christian people being significantly more sanctified. None of the Bible's teaching on sanctification so much as hints that procedures like this could help. Yet we have been presented with this method as the great thing that God is doing in these days.

The second point at issue is that the New Testament tells us most clearly how sanctification will come about. In John 17:17-20, Jesus is praying to his Father for his people and he says “[Father] sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth”. He had previously taught in John 15:3, “Now you are clean through the word which I have spoken to you”.

The Bible never gives an example of the laying on of hands resulting in Christian people being significantly more sanctified.

Paul taught in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is...useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work”. When Paul addresses his farewells to the Ephesian elders in Acts 20, he says in verse 32, “Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified”. We have very similar teaching in the Old Testament, for example, Psalm 119:11, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you”.

What are all these scriptures saying? They are telling us very plainly that sanctification, cleansing and living in righteousness come to the people of God through the word of God, that is, through the scriptures. It is necessary to feed on the scriptures, to meditate upon them, to digest them, to absorb them and hide them away in our hearts. Through them we learn to respond to God's disciplines and to benefit from them; we learn to trust in God working out his purposes in times of turmoil and trial and tribulation.

Supremely we discover who God is - that is, his nature and character - and we read over and over again how much he supports us and how much he has done for us, and indeed, is doing for us.

We become familiar with the full revelation of God in the Lord Jesus Christ, whom we look to in order to lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily besets us. This is the pattern set for us in the New Testament. It is the Lord Jesus himself and the apostles who have taught all of this and we surely finish up at odds with them if in these last years of the 20^th Century we go down a different route altogether.

The Bible is clear that we can be converted in a moment following repentance from sin and faith in the Lord Jesus; it is equally clear that the work of sanctification takes a lifetime.

It is a consequence of the Holy Spirit working in the life of the believer, through the ministry of the word of God, as shown above. In Ephesians 5:26 Paul teaches that Christ will sanctify and cleanse the Church which he loves with “the washing with water through the word” (emphasis added) in order to ultimately present to himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing. We will take this matter a little further in the next section.

The work of sanctification takes a lifetime, and is a consequence of the Holy Spirit’s work, through the ministry of the word of God.

The Claimed Testimonies

There were those who claimed that, as a result of the type of ministry I have described, they had an experience of God resulting in a new love for the Lord Jesus Christ, a new love for the scriptures, increased zeal in witnessing and freedom from besetting sins. These are very significant claims.

However, these claims were made and accepted very soon after the ministry experience from which they were said to result. No experienced and responsible pastor would have allowed such a situation to arise. Proper pastoral responsibility to those who believe they have had an experience of God does not involve only the offering of encouragement and support; it also involves ensuring that spiritual progress is maintained and also determining whether the experience stands the test of time.

It is irresponsible to give instant public prominence to someone who believes he has had such an experience, and this for two reasons. First, it does not allow the experience to be tested. Secondly, public applause is the worst possible environment for spiritual growth. Many Toronto leaders were not without pastoral experience. Why then did they allow this?

I believe the reason is that sanctification, love of God, love of Scripture etc were demonstrably biblical, whilst all other features of the Toronto Blessing were not. These testimonies were, in fact, being used to authenticate the Toronto Blessing as a whole, the argument being that if the Toronto Blessing resulted in sanctification, it must be of God and so therefore must its manifestations and methodology.

But did it result in sanctification? As I have said, no time was allowed for testing the claims; testimonies were accepted long before anyone could be sure that there would be permanent fruit. We were being asked to accept these testimonies as genuine in order that we might also accept the Toronto Blessing as genuine, with all that this implied. This was no light matter. We were surely entitled to ask that the testimonies be proved over time before being presented as evidence. I heard of many claims of changed lives, but my own knowledge of the people concerned did not support these claims.

Testimonies of sanctification and increased love for God were, I believe, used prematurely to authenticate the Toronto Blessing as a whole.

I know many people who accepted the Toronto Blessing; most of them I have known for many years. Before they became involved in the Toronto Blessing the majority were agreeable and amiable Christians, and they remain so; but I have not noted startling changes in them. Others were less agreeable before their Toronto experience and unfortunately they also have not changed! Many of both groups reported pleasant experiences of 'carpet time', but I detected no fundamental changes of the sort that were being claimed. To me, of course, this came as no surprise, in view of the general absence of the word of God within the Toronto Blessing.

We may hope that there were some who, because of their genuine and earnest seeking of God, truly met with him and received blessing at his hand. But before we can accept the huge claims of widespread personal renewal, we must have solid evidence which has met the standards of Scripture and has stood the test of time.

Conclusion: Return to the Bible

I feel strongly that the reservations I have set out in this chapter need to be heeded. The Bible must be restored to the position of honour which it formerly had within the evangelical tradition. Unless this happens there is no knowing where Christianity will end up.

Some supporters of the Toronto Blessing object to this emphasis on Scripture on the grounds that it circumscribes God's actions. God, they argue, must be allowed to work in any way he chooses. I fully endorse this latter point, but we must recognise that one of the things God has chosen to do is to give us responsibility for testing things. He has also chosen to give us in the scriptures an account of his character and his ways, thereby equipping us with the means of testing whether or not something is of him.

Scripture contains many warnings, both from the apostles and from the Lord Jesus Christ himself, concerning the danger of deception and counterfeit works. Some of these will be so subtly disguised as to deceive the very elect. We are exhorted to watch, to test, to be on our guard, and to examine all things; and to be ready to reject those things which fail the test.

The Church must return to the Bible as the supreme authority in faith and practice. As I said at the beginning of this chapter, we are in a battle for the Bible. We must reassert its sufficiency as a criterion for judging all things. What possible grounds can there be for thinking that now, at the end of the 20^th Century, God is introducing any other?

In the new year: We turn to Chapter 4 of ‘Blessing the Church?’: From North Battlefield to Toronto, by David Forbes.

The first two manifestations of 1 Corinthians 12.

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“To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:7-10)

“In Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3)

The introduction to this part of the series established a few background details about the manifestations and put them in the context of their surrounding chapters and verses. Bearing this in mind we will now look at the first two of the ‘gifts' listed in 1 Corinthians 12: ‘wisdom’ and ‘knowledge’.

It is important that we look at the two together as they invariably need each other and can be ineffective if they operate on their own. Although knowledge can appear to be good, it is of little use unless you also have wisdom to apply it in the right way – and vice versa. The one relies on the other to be truly effective.

As manifestations of the Spirit, they are given to whom - and when - and wherever the Spirit wills. They are not given to any one person permanently. Neither do they operate in the ways of the world; the world has its wise men as well as those who have amassed knowledge and they do have their place – but in affairs of the Spirit the Lord sees things differently. We are commissioned and sent, as Paul was, “to preach the gospel – not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power” (1 Cor 1:17).

The Spiritual Nature of Knowledge and Wisdom

So what is this knowledge and wisdom that is mentioned here in 1 Corinthians 12? Proverbs 2 (the whole chapter) is an excellent help in understanding the true meaning of this. The writer starts by saying to his children that “if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding – indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding…then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God” (vv1-5).

He continues, “For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding” (v6); “for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones” (v7). “Then you will understand what is right and just and fair – every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul” (vv9-10).

Knowledge is to know the facts; wisdom is to know what to do with them.

These insights continue throughout the rest of the chapter, describing how discretion and understanding will guard you and wisdom will save you from evil distractions so that you will keep to the paths of the righteous. True knowledge and wisdom come from knowing God, understanding his will by studying his word and seeking to stay close to him at all times.

Bestowed on Jesus

The prophetic words in the Old Testament speak of wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge and fear having been bestowed on Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit:

A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him – the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord – and he will delight in the fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. (Isaiah 11:1-5)

Knowledge, wisdom and understanding in the ways of God were the essence of Jesus’s ministry and the Holy Spirit ensures that these are available to his followers, albeit as manifestations rather than as actual gifts. “We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives” (Col 1:9, emphasis added).

The Tribe of Issachar

In the time before the advent of Christ, an understanding of the ways of God usually came to individuals such as priests and prophets and this information was then passed on to the people – but there are also records of a whole tribe being gifted in this way.

We know that when the Lord turned Saul’s kingdom over to David at Hebron he received support in the form of fighting men from all the different tribes, except the Tribe of Issachar who sent men of wisdom and knowledge: “from Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do – 200 chiefs, with all their relatives under their command” (1 Chron 12:32).

Today, followers of Christ all have the opportunity to have that close relationship with the Father and receive knowledge in order to bless others, and to help their communities and even their nations understand what is happening around them and to know the right steps to take.

To know God’s will is to have wisdom.

Back to Origins (or Translations!)

1 Corinthians 12:8 speaks of the gifts of wisdom and knowledge being given as ‘messages’ - the “message of wisdom” and the “message of knowledge”. The word being translated here as ‘message’ is the Greek word logos, which in the King James version is translated as 'word' and in the RSV as 'utterance'. Each translation gives the impression of something quite concise, often no more than a sentence or two. 'Utterance' can imply speaking forth generally, rather than to just one person.

Both gifts as described in this passage have a strong speaking element rather than a doing element, which the New Life version translates as just “the gift of teaching words of wisdom or what he has learned and knows”; The Living Bible as “the ability to give wise advice; someone else may be especially good at studying and teaching”; JB Phillips version as “One man’s gift by the Spirit is to speak with wisdom, another’s to speak with knowledge”. And The Message just has “wise counsel and clear understanding”.

Special Revelation

So we turn now to the expression of wisdom and the (closely associated) expression of knowledge. We are told “in Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col 2:3), but the believer does not have a reservoir of wisdom and knowledge, from which he can draw at will. In these two gifts wisdom and knowledge are made available by special revelation in the needed moment through the believer, as the Spirit gives expression in his time and way.

The word 'revelation', which is used three times by Paul (1 Cor 14:6, 26 and 30), is probably used as a synonym for these two gifts of wisdom and knowledge: it is the Greek word apokalupsis, which literally means 'to take the covers off’ and this is the special function performed by these gifts. Paul says that he went up to Jerusalem “in response to a revelation” (Gal 2:2).

What About Manifestations Today?

We can understand the invaluable nature of spiritual knowledge and wisdom to ALL Christians as they grow to maturity and this comes with constant reading, study and understanding the word, alongside prayer. But is there something special about a message or word received as a spiritual manifestation by a selected few, as Paul intimates in his list here?

The desire to know all things, and especially to know the future, has always been with mankind, from the times of the oracles. Notoriously, gypsies have been reading crystals and palms for centuries, and the reading of horoscopes in newspapers is still sought after in a ‘secular’ world. Christians have often viewed these either as a bit of fun or as evil and coming from the wrong spirit.

If knowledge is to know the word of God, spiritual wisdom is to understand God’s will for service.

The idea of manifestations of the Holy Spirit became more generally accepted again among Christians following the birth of the Pentecostal movement last century, but words of knowledge have gained more prominence in the Charismatic movement.

John Wimber’s definition of knowledge was, reportedly: "This is the supernatural revelation of fact about a person or situation, which is not learned through the efforts of the natural mind, but is a fragment of knowledge freely given by God, disclosing the truth which the Spirit wishes to be made known concerning a particular person or situation".¹ One lesson we must learn from the Charismatic movement is that we need to lay a greater emphasis upon ‘distinguishing between the spirits’ that bring these words (we feel that this is doubly necessary with words of prophecy and we will look at this next time).

Another lesson we must learn from the Charismatic movement is who words of wisdom and knowledge are intended for. Whereas some Christians think that words of knowledge and wisdom are mainly for individuals (or for specific occasions) and are synonymous with personal prophecies or prophetic words, others feel they give an individual the power to proclaim the message or, as the Amplified Version says: “To one is given through the [Holy] Spirit [the power to speak] the message of wisdom, and to another [the power to express] the word of knowledge and understanding according to the same Spirit” (1 Cor 12:7-8).

It is important to remember that each of the gifts are intended for the good (or the ‘profit’, YLT) of the whole community.² So the question we need to ask is: are personal words of wisdom and knowledge truly biblical? If so, how do they benefit the whole community? Whatever decision you reach, all of them when exercised should manifest the Spirit’s power and presence.

Final Words…

God keeps before him in the storehouse of his mind all the facts of heaven and earth. He knows everything about every person. He knows every event, every reaction, every intention and every consequence – past, present and future. Therefore he can uncover any information we may need and he can reveal what should be done in any situation. It would be utter foolishness to ignore the potentiality of these gifts.

The manifestations of wisdom and knowledge reveal the love of the Lord for his people: they are audible and have visible consequences - unlike the fruits of the Spirit which are invisible graces. When Jesus turned water into wine John records, “He thus revealed his glory and his disciples put their faith in him” (John 2:11). These manifestations of the Spirit result in God's people seeing his glory and believing more confidently than ever. They also demonstrate to unbelievers that the God we worship is alive, interested and powerful.

References

1 Derived from this site.

2 The gift of the message of wisdom is that 'speaking by the Spirit of God' which manifests some part of God's total wisdom for the direction of the body of Christ; and the gift of the message of knowledge is that 'speaking by the Spirit of God' which manifests some part of God's total knowledge for the information of the body of Christ.

Monica Hill begins the final portion of her series on the spiritual gifts.

This article is part of a series. Click here for the full archive.

“Now to each one, the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good…”

Having spent some time studying the spiritual gifts in three of the lists given in the New Testament we come now to the most controversial and most often misunderstood list in 1 Corinthians 12.

They are controversial because these gifts were neglected for many centuries, especially in the West once the Church was established, as they were felt to be relevant to the 1st Century Church only. They were misunderstood when re-discovered by the Pentecostal movement at the beginning of the 20^th Century, and even now there can be various interpretations of the meaning of these more experiential gifts.

Setting in Context

We need to start first by looking at the context in which Paul delivered his teaching on this list of nine ‘gifts’ – which more rightly should be termed ‘manifestations’ of the Spirit. This comes from the Greek pneumatikon, which has connotations of invisibility and power. Some of these ‘manifestations’ sound very similar to the gifts we have already studied, but they are also very different.

The Corinthian church was not a united community of believers and they must have caused Paul much heartache. He had to battle not only against a strong Greek culture and systemic thinking but also against immoral behaviour in the church, which affected its witness.

The manifestations of the Holy Spirit were neglected in the Church for many centuries.

Practical Help

1 Corinthians is a very practical book and shows Paul’s concern for this infant community, especially when there was so much division among the members. One of his practical concerns was very much for the use (or against the misuse) of the gifts or manifestations he lists in chapter 12.

In chapter 11 he endeavoured to get relationships in the church right and was especially concerned about the behaviour of its members in their worship times and when celebrating the Lord’s Supper. His concern was to combat their brazen concentration on themselves rather than thinking of others and this is reflected through the next two or three chapters.

Call for Unity

The ‘manifestations’ listed in chapter 12 have an emphasis on unity and use for ‘the common good’. They emphasise that the gifts are all coming from the same Spirit, although they may be of different kinds.

No one person owns these gifts (1 Cor 12:11) – they are available to any true believer and are only given as the Spirit wishes. As Edmund Heddle says “The initiative in the operation of these gifts must remain in the hands of the Spirit and once his purpose is completed the manifestation of the gift will cease”.¹

The Body of Christ

There then follows the lovely passage from verse 12 to the end of the chapter about the Body of Christ being many parts but still only one. Its analogy with the human body – every part is needed and none is more important than the others – is well worth reading and emphasising again and again.

The chapter concludes with a series of rhetorical questions. The translation of verse 31 can be confusing in some versions. I personally do not think it should be read as a challenge for believers to strive for the greater gifts - in view of the arguments that these are given by the Holy Spirit as he sees fit, how can this be? Rather, I believe that it is ridiculing what the Corinthians were trying to be seen doing and goes on to show them the better way of love.

As such, a better translation of 1 Corinthians 12:31 is “But you are striving for the greater gifts! And now I will show you the most excellent thing”. The love poem that follows in chapter 13 is not an intrusion into this section on spiritual gifts but complements it superbly. It can be used for individuals and is of course perfect for marriages - but do read it again thinking particularly of its relation to the use of gifts in the fellowship of believers.

No one person owns these gifts – they are available to any true believer and are only given as the Spirit wishes.

Practicalities

In chapter 14 we look again at the practicalities arising when the Corinthian assembly were using (or misusing) some of the most controversial of the manifestations – gifts of prophecy and tongues. Note how Paul attempted to deliver good teaching from a distance, some of which we will use when we study these specific manifestations in detail.

Need for Harmony

In the next few weeks we will be looking at the nine gifts mentioned here – but we will be looking at them in groups, as none of them should stand alone. Those speaking in tongues need others with the gift of interpretation alongside them; those prophesying need others to distinguish between the spirits bringing the prophetic words and a special kind of faith is needed for gifts of healing and miraculous powers.

When these work in harmony, the Lord’s name will be praised and blessed.

References

1 Heddle, E, 2016. Spiritual Gifts. Issachar Ministries, p16.

Monica Hill concludes her studies on the ministry gifts of Ephesians 4.

This article is part of a series. Click here to read other instalments. 

“It was Christ who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Eph 4:11-13, emphasis added).

Teacher, Pastor, Teacher/Pastor?

Although the ministry gift of ‘teacher’ is often combined with that of ‘pastor’ (which we introduced last week), in today’s modern society there are of course many differences. Some commentators are not certain whether teacher/pastor should be regarded as one or two ministries as there is no definite article before the word 'teacher' in the Ephesians 4 passage. Because of where they are placed in the passage, some regard them as more ordinary ministries, for those employed in a lower and narrower sphere than apostles, prophets and evangelists.

Some take these two names to signify one office or role, implying the duties of ruling and teaching belonging to one person. Still others think they designate two distinct offices, both ordinary, and currently being used in the church. If pastoring involves caring for God's people, teaching involves instructing them in the truths of God's word.

Building Up the Body

One thing that is obvious is that of all the five ministries in Ephesians 4, the role of ‘teaching’ is the one most needed to build the Body up spiritually. Of course the Apostles taught; this is stressed in Acts 2:42 where we learn that the fellowship of the believers “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching”. Both the prophets and the evangelists also taught, but with respect to their different roles and duties.

Teachers have always been needed beyond these roles, therefore, because there needs to be a consistent follow-up and growth to maturity in every fellowship.

If pastoring involves caring for God's people, teaching involves instructing them in the truths of God's word.

The writer of the letter to the Hebrews emphasises the need to grow beyond the “elementary teachings of Christ” and on to maturity. The believers should have been passing on their knowledge to others, but they still needed to be taught the “elementary truths” (Heb 5:12-6:1).

What is Teaching?

The ministry of teaching is the ability to explain clearly the truths of God's word and to ensure that this is understood and followed by those placed in the care of the teacher. It involves the need for teachers not only to understand the in-depth meaning of God’s word for themselves, and for it to be operating in their own lives, but also to have the ability to help people of all ages and circumstances to see, hear, grasp and learn what God is saying to each of them.

Although preaching is often referred to as teaching, too often it is exercised like a lecture to a large number of people from a pulpit and so is considered to be ‘six feet above contradiction’. To interrupt the preacher even to get clarification is rarely permitted. But unless most sermons or messages are followed by a time when the subject can be discussed and questions asked, it is often of little value and the main points can easily be forgotten.

In Victorian times, the morning sermon was the natural subject for conversation at Sunday lunch-time. Today few families discuss the sermon – or even meet together for lunch - while even fewer have regular family Bible studies. It is left to the Church to organise these. Indeed, the strength of a Church can often be judged by the attendance at and content and liveliness of its Bible study groups.

Why Teach?

The Jewish faith has survived because each generation accepted their responsibility to not only teach the next generation God’s truths but also “show them the way they are to live and how they are to behave” (Ex 18:20). Moses’ instruction to the people of Israel was:

These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the door-frames of your houses and on your gates (Deut 6:6-9)

This is repeated later in Deuteronomy: “Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up” (Deut 11:19).

It is not sufficient for the word to be preached from pulpits. It needs to be discussed, so that people can understand it.

There needs to be a consistent follow-up and growth to maturity in every fellowship.

Laws can be made and rules can be enforced. The rabbis, who were called ‘teachers’ in Jesus’ time, were good at enforcing every jot and tittle with little regard for ensuring that the underlying principles and reasoning were understood too. As one modern rabbi rather enviously observed to a friend who was a Christian pastor, “we are only seen as kitchen inspectors”.

But Jesus, in his famous outburst to the Pharisees and teachers of the law in his time (Matt 23:13-33), condemned them - not just for hypocrisy in not living by the rules they imposed on others, but for their high opinion of themselves, for limiting their teaching, for not allowing others to experience anything they were not advocating, etc, etc. There are many lessons here for those with a teaching ministry to understand what not to do!

How to Teach

• Learning by rote may have gone out of fashion but the older generation are still able to remember and quote Bible passages - especially from the Authorised Version! It became more difficult as the number of versions grew, but then, this allowed the serious scholar’s understanding also to grow. Modern Bible studies benefit when there are two or three versions studied alongside each other, giving different perspectives and insights to stimulate discussion.
  
• Teaching in small groups where people can ask questions has many advantages. The teacher can discover what people have really heard them say and he or she can answer the questions they are asking. It is very much about starting where people are, not where we might like, or expect, them to be! In fact, it can sometimes be a salutary lesson to discover that they already knew what was being taught and an opportunity had been lost to help them go deeper. If you teach them what they do not already know, this can stretch them so that they can move on to maturity.
  
• The best teachers are often the best story-tellers. Jesus often used parables to teach in-depth truths that could not only be remembered but also be understood at different levels – they were often described as everyday stories with a Heavenly meaning especially for those who had a deeper understanding.
  
• A good teacher is thrilled when students pass comments on what they hear and get involved – even more so when the students start to think for themselves and ask questions. I personally believe that a better interpretation of Galatians 6:6 (“Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor”), rather than being applied financially, can apply to the spiritual insights the students have, which can stimulate a fresh understanding of the Word.
  
• One of Jesus’s methods of teaching was to answer a question with another question, to find out where his listeners were and to draw out of them what they knew already. This is a very Jewish way of teaching.
  
• But Matthew also told us that the impact of Jesus’ teaching was great as “He taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law” (Matt 7:29). Jesus did not just make pronouncements - even to his disciples when he spent more time with them. Instead, he encouraged them to discuss so that they would learn more about the Kingdom and God’s truths. When someone speaks with authority they inspire confidence that they have knowledge and understanding and that they are able to address and answer their concerns and allay their doubts.
  
• Yeshiva-style Jewish teaching also highlights that Jesus sat down to teach! (Luke 4:20; 5:3; Matt 5:1; 15:29). The reader stood to read or declare the word of God but the teacher or expositor sat down to teach, which not only would relax the students and encourage them to ask questions and to discuss issues so that they went deeper into the word, but could last as long as was needed.
  

Conclusion

So today Christ continues his work as apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher through the ministries he gives to men and women whom he has appointed to build his Church. He wants them “to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ”.

Monica Hill continues to look at the ministry gifts of Ephesians 4.

This article is part of a series. Click here to read other instalments.

“It was Christ who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” (Eph 4:11-13, emphases added)

An evangelist is usually defined as one who has the ability to communicate the good news of the Gospel in meaningful and convincing ways to those who have not heard or understood it fully, with a view to people responding in faith, baptism and commitment to the body of Christ. Without evangelists, the Church would lose its calling and settle down to being just another community group.

The enabling aspects mentioned in Ephesians 4 include the ability to galvanise God's people in the area of evangelism, so that it becomes a prime factor in fulfilling the Great Commission of Matthew 28:16-20: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Old Testament Teaching

Evangelism is a New Testament concept – introduced to spread the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ widely across the nations. Neither evangelism nor the evangelist are mentioned in the Old Testament. Judaism is not a proselytising religion¹ – you are born into it. The religion is passed on from generation to generation and proof of ancestry (especially in the maternal line) is needed in order to be recognised as Jewish.

Without evangelists, the Church would lose its calling and settle down to being just another community group.

God-fearing Gentiles were acknowledged, and even one of the Outer Courts of the Temple was called the Court of the Gentiles. It was set aside for them to pray and was probably the one that Jesus cleared of money-changers (John 2:12) just before Passover, when he became very angry over its wrong use.

New Testament Teaching

Although there are only three references to an evangelist in the New Testament (Acts 21:8; Eph 4:11; 2 Tim 4:5), there are numerous references to people evangelising (euangelizo in Greek) in the book of Acts. This is referring to the spontaneous witness of ordinary believers who could not keep quiet.

Evangelism became of paramount importance following the stoning of Stephen, when Christians began to suffer great persecution (Acts 8:1). In fact, the more persecution there was, the more the Church grew! In the 2^nd Century AD, Tertullian commented: “the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church”. And certainly this was the way the early Church grew.

When the Christians were forced to leave Jerusalem following the stoning of Stephen, there was a significant change in recording this growth – from “the Lord added to their number” (Acts 2:47) to “the church…multiplied” (Acts 9:31 ESV). Even those with little mathematical understanding will be able to deduce how significant this was.

There are numerous references in Acts to the spontaneous witness of ordinary believers who could not keep quiet.

There were named evangelists in Acts 8: Peter and John after their visit to Samaria evangelised many villages on their way back to Jerusalem (v25); Philip evangelised the Ethiopian eunuch in the desert (v35) and then evangelised in all the cities as he travelled to Caesarea (v40). But the greatest growth was brought about by every believer sharing their faith.

Ministry vs General Calling

We are all called to be witnesses and should be brimming over with the Good News to share with others - although only some will be called to the ministry of an evangelist. But even they are dependent on God entering the lives of those they have introduced to the Gospel, because only God can bring that life-changing relationship into being.

Evangelists are single-minded and so full of the Good News that they are able to share it wherever they go - and in all situations. Paul even said “Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!” (1 Cor 9:16-19). It was his whole calling – he as so full of the risen Jesus that he could not keep quiet!!

In fact, only Philip, one of the Seven, is called an 'evangelist' (Acts 21:8), although Timothy is told by Paul to “do the work of an evangelist” (2 Tim 4:5). Timothy took every opportunity to share Christ – so Paul probably meant that that Timothy was not to wait until people came to him asking questions.

But of course Paul is often seen as the model evangelist – the one who does not settle for too long in an area but is an itinerant tent-maker and church-planter. Our concept of evangelists usually accepts this definition - but there may be ways in which in future we need to change our mindset towards evangelism, in order to be more effective.

Evangelists are single-minded and so full of the Good News that they share it wherever they go.

In the ministry of Jesus, we can see all five ministry gifts mentioned in Ephesians 4, including that of an evangelist: in the synagogue at Nazareth he claimed that he was the fulfilment of Isaiah's prophecy “to preach good news to the poor” (Luke 4:18).

Evangelists Today

Today, we have often taken evangelism out of the local church and assigned it to para-church organisations, who flourish, commending different types of evangelism. But this in many ways means that evangelism is seen as an optional extra – reserved for ‘professionals’ or those from an evangelical tradition.

Crusade evangelism with named individuals like Billy Graham or Luis Palau is still seen as a major (if not the main) form of evangelism, with seaside, street, marketplace or door-to-door outreach drawing church members away from activities with the faithful to become involved with not-yet-believers. But these kinds of evangelism rely on limited encounters. This does not mean they are not worthwhile, but they must be supplemented with the building of continuing relationships, which is so important. This is where the personal sharing of faith – or friendship evangelism - has been proved to be the most effective.

Ideally, every church member should be taught how to share their faith with others - and when and where. They should be prepared to share their faith especially in their links outside the church – say in the family, workplace, school, and even in prisons (although all of these are becoming more difficult). Surely the worst comment any believer can receive is “I did not know you were a Christian!”.

Evangelism is the most important gift for the continuity of the Church – we know in theory that ‘God has no grandchildren – only children’ but we are not very good at passing the baton on to others, and so there is a large gap in age within many of our churches.

We also often fail to recognise that the best evangelists are the newly converted – they still have non-Christian friends and the experience of conversion is a living daily subject with them – they are excited by everything that is opening up for them. Perhaps this was what was lacking in Ephesus (referred to in Revelation 2:1) – that the members had lost their first love. This enthusiasm and excitement for sharing the Good News with others should continue to be present in every member of the Body so that there is a living witness portrayed to the world.

We often fail to recognise that the best evangelists can be the newly converted.

But we also need to realise that evangelists are not pastors – and should not try to be – churches and believers do not grow up to maturity with just evangelism. Pastors and teachers are needed to take people to the next stage of discipleship and continue the work started by the evangelist. This is why all the five ministry roles are needed in the Church.

Finally, two or three illustrations that might help from the world scene:

• From South America – where one flourishing new church would not allow anyone to become a full member until they had brought someone else to Christ.
  
• From Singapore – where at one time, acceptance to membership in the Anglican Church required training which included a week on mission to share their faith with Muslims in neighbouring Malaysia.
  
• From the underground Church in China - where they could not build up large congregations as meetings of more than ten were restricted; they were in a way ‘forced’ to send their new converts out, and the Church flourished.
  

Next week we will be looking at the more familiar role of the pastor, which is indispensable in our churches today.

Notes

1 Proselytising is converting or attempting to convert someone from one religion to another. Islam is a proselytising religion – by force if necessary, whereas Christianity evangelises by love. In Islamic nations, conversion away from Islam is usually banned.

Monica Hill looks at the spiritual gift of showing mercy.

This article is part of a series – click here for previous instalments.

We come to the last of those spiritual gifts which are listed in Romans 12. At first glance the phrase ‘showing mercy’ can give the impression that this gift is about ‘good works’, but it is much more than that. Performing acts of mercy means being prepared to help those who are undeserving. In many cases, sentence has already been passed on the recipient - they have been pronounced ‘guilty’ and should, by human judgment, serve out that sentence.

There are over 150 mentions of asking for mercy in the Bible, well over half of them in the Old Testament where the Israelites called upon the Lord for his help - for his mercy when they had gone astray.

Asking for Mercy

When we ask someone for mercy there is usually already an acceptance that we are not living up to their expectations, whether we understand or agree with these or not. In most cases, for mercy to be effective some acknowledgement is required by the recipient of their need for it - a contrite heart is required.

When we come to being judged by the Lord, Christians and Jews have assurance that he will hear us when we ask him to remember mercy (“Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love” (Ps 25:6)). This also gives fresh understanding to Habakkuk’s prayer “in wrath remember mercy” (Hab 3:2).

When we ask someone for mercy there is usually already an acceptance that we are not living up to their expectations.

We often say or sing the lovely prayer Kyrié Eléison – “Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy” and in the General Confession we say “And grant us thy salvation” in response to the minister’s call “O Lord, show thy mercy upon us”. When we plead “Lord have mercy” we are already aware that we have fallen short of our Father’s expectations: we recognise our own failings and resolve to do better next time, if we are given another chance. We know that the Lord is eager to forgive us when we say we are sorry and we believe that he will grant us mercy in the next life if not in this.

Note the significance of Jesus’ response on the cross to the criminal who repented: “today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:40-43). It is also noteworthy that this was only reported by Luke, who had the doctor’s gift of compassion. We value this example of the care and compassion set by our Father; and those with this gift have an eagerness to follow his example.

How Does Someone with This Gift Behave?

In the Sermon on the Mount, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy” (Matt 5:7) is one of the Beatitudes. It is granted following a close walk with the Lord as the spiritual gifts he has given us come into fulfilment. It is one of the characteristics that mature believers are encouraged to embrace.

This, though, needs a very special approach by someone with this gift – so that the actions are not seen as condemnatory, but as gracious and supportive of those who may often seem to deserve what is happening to them. A strong degree of godliness is needed to be able to exercise this gift, as there should be no vestige of judgment. Neither are there any conditions that the recipient needs to fulfil – the giver gives freely and performs acts of mercy willingly and lovingly. They are aware of the problems but see and accept that there is a need for care and support.

The Lord is eager to forgive us when we say we are sorry and we believe that he will grant us mercy in the next life if not in this.

Some people have a natural gift for being open and forgiving of others and are able to use this gift effectively. Acts of mercy need to have a genuine cheerfulness or joyful eagerness – they should not just be performed as a duty. Those with this gift will also show a real love for and empathy with others. They will not perform acts of mercy just as good acts for the wrong reason.

Transformation of the Natural Gift

It is very appropriate that mercy is the final gift to be listed in Romans, as it can be all-embracing. It is noted that all the gifts in Romans can be seen as starting as a natural attribute which God can make into a more beautiful spiritual gift. All natural gifts can be strengthened by allowing the Holy Spirit to take control.

Some people are born with a natural caring ability for others in whatever situation or condition they are in – whether it is their own fault or the source is unknown. But with the addition of the power and strength of the Holy Spirit, they can become even more effective.

What are Acts of Mercy?

The dictionary defines acts of mercy as “compassionate treatment, especially of those under one's power; clemency; a disposition to be kind and forgiving: a heart full of mercy; alleviation of distress; relief”.

In the Catholic catechism the works of mercy are “charitable actions by which we come to the aid of our neighbour in his spiritual and bodily necessities. Instructing, advising, consoling, comforting are spiritual works of mercy, as are forgiving and bearing wrongs patiently. The corporal works of mercy consist especially in feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and imprisoned, and burying the dead”.

What do you see as acts of mercy? How will you exercise this gift with or without the aid of the Holy Spirit?

If you have any other comments on ‘acts of mercy’ as a spiritual gift, please do add them.